Performance evaluation of a novel geothermal energy integrated single effect evaporator desalination with software simulation

Abstract

Water desalination utilizing low-enthalpy geothermal fluid is a sustainable solution to the world's water shortage that has the potential to be integrated with thermal-based desalination technologies. This study presents a comprehensive method for the performance analysis of a geothermal combined single-effect evaporator without a steam jet ejector and a single-effect evaporator with a steam jet ejector for the production of 1 kg of fresh water per second. To build the geothermal combined single-effect evaporator system, we compared the outcomes of manual computations performed in Excel and MATLAB/Simulink. MATLAB/Simulink includes a Graphical User Interface (GUI) that allows users to generate block designs through click-and-drag mouse activities. Calculations performed manually, Excel or MTALB/Simulink, should all have the same value, with only a little variation. In this case, latent and sensible heat for seawater evaporation is supplied by low enthalpy geothermal heat employed as heating steam with a temperature of less than 130 °C. We focus on a wide range of characteristics to better understand the impact of design choices on evaluation findings. Some variables include heating steam temperature, boiling temperature, feed water salinity, and geothermal resource quality. The accuracy of the results of our fundamental model was assessed by adjusting their values. The simulation results show that using a low boiling temperature and a high motive steam pressure yields a greater PR.